To celebrate Earth Day on April 22, the city will once again implement the Car Free Day NYC initiative, which will close off certain streets to cars in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The initiative, organized by Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, also took place last year to encourage city residents to travel without a car for one day. Several streets in the city were also closed to cars and this year, the initiative has expanded to outer boroughs as well.
On April 22, Woodside Avenue from 75th to 77th streets in Woodside and Shore Boulevard from Ditmars Boulevard to Astoria Park South in Astoria will go car free. The expansion of the program was announced at a planning meeting with Rodriguez on April 3.
Get ready Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens, too! #CarFreeDay 2017 is coming to you. @ydanis @CarFreeNYC Visit online https://t.co/l4v174z21u pic.twitter.com/o4YsHoiiKI
— Chalciporus piperatus (@pekochel) April 3, 2017
Astoria Park Alliance is planning several events on that day to celebrate Earth Day Shore Fest, including a “major planting effort,” live music, face painting and crafts for kids.
“From sustainability and environmental justice to land use and urban planning as well as public health and street safety, our overuse of cars has caused numerous urban problems that have mounting social and economic costs,” the Car Free Day NYC website read. “Car Free Day NYC is about encouraging people to make more thoughtful decisions in their daily lives, particularly related to transportation.”
Organizers are encouraging New Yorkers to use other forms of transportation like bicycles. According to Citi Bike, the company saw its highest ridership in 2016 on April 22.
This past #EarthDay, Citi Bike riders took 48,806 trips, more than any other day thus far in 2016! https://t.co/XfWN4NTTCW
— Citi Bike (@CitiBikeNYC) May 2, 2016
